Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Sporting 19th Century Oil Painting Melton Bay Hunter Race Horse Jockey Fred Archer Up

£65,000.00

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Gallop through time with this historic sporting British 19th century oil painting! Depicting the daring Fred Archer atop a Melton Bay hunter, it's a Victorian masterpiece from 1885. Perfect for equestrian enthusiasts or art lovers seeking a quirky touch of history. Saddle up now!
Subject Equine horse study portrait of a brown thoroughbred bay hunter race horse facing left in full side profile, with known Jockey Fred Archer up above in his jockey colours. The horse is wearing its head reign & saddle on, set in rural Norfolk countryside at Lord Hasting's racing stable at his home Melton Constable.
The details is so incredible the eyelashes of the horse, the muscle definition and the brown & white also green & grey colours are so bold!
Title “Melton Bay Hunter Race Winner Derby With Jockey Fred Archer Up” Dated 1885 By F S Evans.
Oil on canvas with a front glass protective cover.
Set in such a traditional decorative gilt frame.
Circa late 19th century Victorian era dated 1885.
This painting is signed in the bottom corner by the British artist F S Evans.
In our opinion this is one of his finest works.
The race horse Melton was owned by George, 20th Lord Hastings, whose stable was at Melton Constable, their Norfolk estate. The Times reported Melton’s win at the 1885 Derby: “Further and further did Paradox draw away, and his victory seemed well assured until Melton coming with a run, drew into second place. Inch by inch Melton crept up, and despite Archer’s most strenuous endeavours, the bell was reached ere Lord Hastings’ colt could get on terms. In the short run home from this point a truly magnificent race resulted, and as Melton and Paradox answered gamely to every call that was made upon them the finish was so close that until Melton’s number was hoisted no one could say with certainty which was the winner.”
Frederick James Archer (11 January 1857 – 8 November 1886), also known by the nickname The Tin Man, was an English flat race jockey of the Victorian era, described as "the best all-round jockey that the turf has ever seen".He was Champion Jockey for 13 consecutive years until 1886, riding 2,748 winners from 8,084 starts, in so doing setting records for the number of Champion Jockey titles (13), number of wins in a season (246) and number of race wins (2748) which remained unthreatened until the arrival of Steve Donoghue and Sir Gordon Richards well into the 20th century. Delirious from wasting and the loss of his wife during childbirth, he committed suicide at the age of 29.
Provenance: Passed to the vendor from the estate of the late Stafford Ellerman (1928-2022). Stafford's great Grandfather Sir William Cass was a doctor to Queen Victoria on the Isle of Wight. His son, and Stafford's grandfather Stafford Thomas Cass (1849-1934), was at school with Lord Hastings. They became friends and sailed around the world together in Lord Hastings's yacht Aline. Lord Hastings's home was at Melton Constable in Norfolk where he kept a racing stable which included the horse in this picture Melton. It won the Derby and St Ledger in 1885 ridden by Fred Archer. The picture was given to Stafford Cass by Lord Hastings and passed down through the family to Stafford and thence to the vendor. Another painting which is the pair to this one by the same artist is in the collection of the National Trust Collection at Seaton Delaval Hall. The difference in the painting is that Fred Archer is looking to the left in the painting housed in the National Trust Collection in Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland, compared to this painting where Fred Archer is looking towards the viewer. the horse is the same in both and background, also with the same year date 1885 and by the same artist F.S Evans. Labels verso from a high end Silver & Fine Art auction in leafy Surrey & now in the collection of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD.
Stamped on the canvas back Peroy Young Slade School Fine Art Dep, 137 Gower Street London.
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With hanging thread on the back ready for immediate home display.
Condition report offered in fine used condition. Having various foxing stains also craquelure to the surface, The frame having general wear, dust, scuffs, stains and some losses commensurate with usage & old age.
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Dimensions in centimetres of frame

High (81 cm)
Length depth thickness (2.5 cm)
Wide (99 cm)